Cessna T188C accident near Starkweather, North Dakota, July 16, 1982
On July 16, 1982 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna T188C, registered N2087J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Starkweather, North Dakota. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 1982 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Starkweather, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T188C · all T188Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2087J · registry record · serial 03377T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANK HAD RUN OUT OF FUEL, SO HE ADDED 2 TO 3 GALLONS OF AV-GAS. HE SAID HE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE ENOUGH FUEL TO FERRY THE THE AIRCRAFT FOUR MILES. HE TOOK OFF, AND UPON REACHING ABOUT 400 FT AGL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. WHILE MAKING A FORCED LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT REPORTEDLY STALLED IN FROM ABOUT 20 TO 30 FT BEFORE REACHING A ROAD.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,200 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 500 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 825 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-T (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Starkweather ND at 8:55 am
- Destination: Starkweather ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 162°F (72°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N2087J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.